Price includes: Siem Reap – Saigon
•  All entrance fees during the cruise Siem Reap – Saigon
•  Guide services (English language)
•  Main meals, coffee & tea, mineral water
•  Port dues Siem Reap – Saigon

Price excludes: Siem Reap – Saigon
•  Hotels
•  Transfers to & from ship at start & and of voyage
•  Drinks at bar, laundry, visa costs, fuel surcharge

Upstream Itinerary: Saigon to Angkor

Day 1: My Tho
We transfer passengers from the Renaissance Hotel in Saigon to the Delta Port of My Tho by coach avoiding tidal delays on the Cao Gao canal. The time saved in cruising this more industrial sector gives us more time in the wilder areas upstream. The transfer time is approximately two hours. My Tho is the hub of the Delta but not of great cultural interest so once on board we set sail and have lunch. In the afternoon we moor near Cai Be and make a fascinating trip by traditional junk to Vinh Long and Tien Giang. We explore evergreen islands and at the former mandarin's residenceAn Kiet House. Here surviving members of the Kiet family will welcome you with tea and we can wander in the fruit orchards around the house. On the way bak we stop at Dong Hoa Hiep Island to see boat yards, brick works and traditional roofers. Overnight moor midstream Cai Bei.

Day 2: Cai Be
We make a morning junk trip around Cai Bei to see a floating market and walk ashore to visit the French Gothic Cathedral and colourful port area with its colonial buildings and delightful flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice paper manufacturies. Remainder of day cruising through the Mekong Delta; moor overnight at Chau Doc.

Day 3: Chau Doc
We travel from the main Mekong channel at Tan Chau down the canals and backwaters by local ferry boat. At Chau Doc we transfer to small boats to visit a Cham tribal village. We also visit a cat fish farm. We make a trishaw ride round this fascinating town with it fine French-colonial buildings and bustling market. Return to the ship by boat for lunch and cast off for the Border for (lengthy) formalities. Evening cruise up the broad Mekong channel, which is an international shipping route. Moor overnight just downstream from Phnom Penh.

Day 4: Phnom Penh
The capital of Cambodia , retains a French charm. The crumbling colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to lively cafes and the redeveloped river "corniche" is full of life. The city has several impressive Wats, including Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom and the newly painted Wat Lang Ka. Pride of place goes to the spectacular Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in Cambodia where artefacts embodying the brilliance and richness of Khmer culture were preserved by the Khmer Rouge. The National Museum is another highlight, with outstanding displays of Khmer crafts. An afternoon excursion is arranged to the Killing Fields and the grim Khmer Rouge detention centre called S21 situated outside the city optional XXX. Phnom Penh has a lively night life and some passengers choose to dine ashore or try one of the capital's many watering holes a favourite being the Foreign Correspondent's Club.

Day 5: Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham
Early morning departure from Phnom Penh and stop at the little known Chong Koh silk weaving village for a morning walk at leisure. We cruise the Mekong seeing timeless villages and river life and see extensive fishing activities. The scenery is very lovely here and in the distance forested hills rise. On the river above Phnom Penh there is little shipping, only real Cambodian life. In the afternoon we stop at Peam Chi Kang village to visit the wat or monastery and school. Passengers are at leisure to explore this peaceful and friendly community. In the wat the splendid village racing boats are stored.

Day 6: Kampong Cham area
Morning journey upriver to the hilltop pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Hanchey . Dating from the 8th century, these ancient brick structures characterise the architecture of the Chenla Empire which predated the glories of Angkor . Sail back downstream over lunch for an exploration of the Kampong Cham Area. We travel by bus to the 12th century Angkorian temple of Wat Nokor . This colourful temple is unique in Cambodia as a modern wat is set within the ruins of an ancient temple. We continue to the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, or Man and Woman Hill. Legends abound about the origins of these hills and thereare many pagodas and shrines on the hilltops.

Day 7: Tonle River
W e touch the capital Phnom Penh in the early morning to change pilots and then sail the Tonle River which connects the Tonle Lake with the Mekong and Bassac Rivers that merge at Phnom Penh. This river journey is a highlight of the trip. It winds its way through jungle and as the river narrows you feel you can reach out and touch the houses and people who ecstatically cheer our ship on. Temples abound along the river banks At Kampong Chhaanan the river narrows and one can view the rich tapestry of Cambodian rural life. This is a busy rural port town with bustling markets. Mooring mid-stream we make a truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the lake side wetlands that form the mouth of the river. Here a stunning variety of birdlife may be seen and of considerable interest are the great fish traps, some half a km long, that net a huge tonnage of fish after each monsoon as the fish migrate from the falling lake into the Tonle river.

Day 8: Tonle Sap
The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150km in length. Here bird life is profuse and in the midst of the lake one cannot even see the shores. There is a stillness and tranquillity on the Tonle Lake and we pass floating fishing villages. Due to low water levels we transfer passengers by speed boat from the mouth of the lake to Siem Reap from November to March. By late Feb the waters may be too low even for the speed boats and it may be necessary then to transfer passengers by coach via Angkor Thom on the new Phnom Penh – Siem Reap highway. In each case we arrive at Siem Reap by lunchtime for transfer to your hotels.

Downstream Itinerary: Angkor to Saigon

Day 1: Tonle Sap
The great lake dominates Cambodia and is over 150 Km in length. Here bird life is profuse, and from the middle of the lake one cannot even see the shores. There is a great stillness and tranquillity as we pass floating fishing villages. Because of seasonal high winds and varying water levels, we will start our journey one of the following ways:

1. High water, approximately July - November. At 1200 REGISTER at ANGKOR CENTURY HOTEL to transfer to the ship at Siem Reap Port. lunch at 1330. At 1500 we take a motor boat excursion to the floating villages of Tonle Sap. Moor overnight on the lake.

2. Low water, approximately November -March. At 1200 REGISTER at ANGKOR CENTURY HOTEL to transfer by coach to Siem Reap Port, enjoying a picnic lunch on board a speed boat while crossing the great Tonle Lake. Mid-afternoon board the ship at mouth of Tonle River and cruise to Kampong Chhnang for overnight mooring.

3. No water, possibly late-March to July. At 1200 REGISTER ANGKOR CENTURY HOTEL in Siem Reap by coach stopping for sight seeing at Angkor Thom and Prem Srei Kuk temples. Packed lunch provided with refreshments and embark the ship at Phumi Prek Chik Village in early evening on the Tonle River, cruising to Kampong Chhnang for overnight.

IN ALL SITUATIONS THE SERVICE COMMENCES AT ANGKOR CENTURY HOTEL 1200

Day 2: Kampong Chhnang
Low and No Water: This is a busy rural port town with bustling markets. Mooring mid-stream, we make a truly wonderful motor boat excursion into the lakeside wetlands that form the mouth of the river. Here a stunning variety of birdlife may be seen, and of considerable interest are the great fish traps, some half a kilometre long, which net a huge tonnage of fish after each monsoon as the fish migrate from the falling lake into the Tonle River. We touch the capital Phnom Penh in the afternoon to change pilots and enter the Upper Mekong bound for Kampong Cham and stop for an afternoon walk at the village of Peam Chikang.

High Water: we cruise from 0400 across the great Tonle Lake with a brief morning stop at Kampong Chhanang and then cruise all day passing Phnom Penh to enter the Mekong River and proceed upstream.

Day 3: Kampong Cham
We continue upstream past Kampong Cham for a morning walk up the Wat Hanchai hill with its ancient Cham shrines. We cruise through lunch and in the afternoon travel by minivan (not always airconditioned) to the 12th century Angkorian temple of Wat Nokor and the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, or Man and Woman Hills. We make a late afternoon departure from Kampong Cham heading for Phnom Penh. Overnight mid-stream.

Day 4: Phnom Penh
The capital of Cambodia retains its French charm. The old colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to busy cafes, and the renovated river "corniche" is full of life. The city has several impressive wats, including Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom and the newly-painted Wat Lang Ka. Pride of place goes to the spectacular Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in Cambodia where artefacts embodying the brilliance and richness of Khmer culture were preserved by the Khmer Rouge. The National Museum is another highlight, with outstanding displays of Khmer crafts. An afternoon excursion is arranged to the Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge’s grim Tuol Sleng or S21 detention centre situated in the suburbs of the city. More happily, Phnom Penh has a lively night life, and some passengers choose to dine ashore or try one of the capital’s many watering holes, a favourite being the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.

Day 5: Cruising the Mekong / Border crossing
We cast off for a day cruising the main Mekong channel, an international shipping route. Today we stop for a jungle village walk to visit fruit orchards, and then set off for the Vietnamese border for the usual formalities, which in this part of the world, take time. Overnight mid-stream.

Day 6: Chau Doc
We travel from the main Mekong channel at Tan Chau down the canals and backwaters by local ferry boat. At Chau Doc we visit a Cham tribal village and a cat fish farm. We make a trishaw ride round this fascinating town of fine French-colonial buildings and bustling market. We return to the ship by boat for lunch and cast off for Cai Bei.

Day 7: Cai Be
We take a morning junk trip to Dong Hoa Hiep Island to Cai Be to see a floating market, and go ashore to visit the French Gothic Cathedral and colourful port area, with its colonial buildings, delightful flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice paper manufacturers. We explore evergreen islands and visit the former Imperial residence the An Kiet House, where surviving members of the Kiet family will welcome us with tea, and we can wander in the fruit orchards around the house. In the afternoon we continue our sightseeing by traditional junk to Vinh Long to visit the Bonsai Gardens and see boat yards, brick works and traditional roofers. We rejoin the Pandaw and cruise past Vinh Long City and the Evergreen Islands. Overnight moor mid-stream Cai Bei.

Day 8: My Tho / Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Early morning sail from Cai Bei for My Tho, where we disembark for coach transportation to the Renaissance Riverside Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City